Two years ago this month, a 19-year-old American shot and killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Fourteen of the victims were students； the other three were teachers. The gunman was a former student at the high school.
On this anniversary, as with other anniversaries of school shootings, Americans continue debating how to make sure students are safe in schools.
To increase preparedness for such an event, many schools now hold shooter drills for students and their teachers. A report released by Everytown for Gun Safety, a non-profit organization, notes the possible harmful effects of such exercises. It urges school administrators to look for better ways to make schools safe and to prepare children for an active shooter.
One problem with the way schools carry out shooter drills is how much they frighten students. When a school fails to inform parents and students about plans for a drill, the children may think that the attack is real. In some communities, the report says, schools deploy individuals who are told to act like “masked gunmen”. Students as young as three or four years old may be told to stay quiet in a small space for a long period of time. Experts on mental health say these experiences can have both short- and long-term effects on how well the children behave in school, as well as on their physical and mental health.
Melissa Reeves, former president of the National Association of School Psychologists, said the drills may “trigger either past trauma or trigger such a similar reaction that it actually ends up scaring the individuals instead of better preparing them to respond in these kinds of situations.”
In 2007, one study found it better to prepare students for an “intruder”, rather than a shooter. Another study noted the value of announcing drills in advance and following them with discussion. Students in that situation felt better prepared to handle possible violence.
1.What is the problem with the shooter drills?
A.Students only suffer short-term damage.
B.Students' physical health cannot be affected.
C.Students may think they are real and get scared.
D.Too young children may not understand what is happening.
2.What does "trigger" in Paragraph 5 most probably mean?
A.Limit. B.Cause. C.Reduce. D.Regulate.
3.What is Melissa Reeves' attitude toward the shooter drills?
A.Critical. B.Favorable. C.Indifferent. D.Unclear.
4.How can students be better prepared to handle possible shooter drills?
A.The schools give them a surprise.
B.They only prepare for shooters.
C.The masked “attacker” carries a toy gun.
D.Drills are announced beforehand and discussed afterwards.
This new packaging material looks like conventional plastic, but it's actually made from fish waste and algae(海藻)--and unlike plastic, if it escapes into the ocean, a fish could likely eat it safely. The material, called MarinaTex, is the winner of this year's James Dyson Award.
"It began with my desire to work with waste," says Lucy Hughes, a recent graduate from University of Sussex, who once visited a fish processing factory to see the massive quantity of waste generated by the industry and find new ways to use it. She focused on fish skins and scales (鳞片). "When I had it in my hands, I realized this has got potential, she says. "It's super strong and flexible." Hughes spent months experimenting with fish waste in her kitchen, running more than 100 experiments to find a binder and a process that could hold together the proteins in the fish skins and scales. "I had a lot of failed attempts—a lot of things either were too easily broken or too soft or easily went bad," she says. She finally landed on a type of algae that can be locally got.
The material can be used to replace oil-based plastic in packaging such as bags or the half transparent windows used to show products in boxes. As her research continues, Hughes says that she'll be studying how MarinaTex works and how long it could be used to store food.
Unlike some "compostable" plastics, which need to be processed in an industrial composting facility to break down, the new material can break down in four to six weeks in a backyard compost bin. ''All the ingredients are food-grade safe," Hughes says." So, this breaks down much like a piece of food would break down."
1.Why did Hughes develop MarinaTex?
A.She wanted to look for a new plastic.
B.She would like fish to eat it safely.
C.She wanted to win James Dyson Award.
D.She wanted to make use of fish skins and scales.
2.What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.The fish processing factory. B.The fish waste.
C.Fish scales. D.Fish skins.
3.What is the main advantage of MarinaTex compared with conventional plastic?
A.It is stronger and more flexible.
B.It can be used as plastic bags.
C.It has the nutritional value for fish.
D.It can break down very easily and fast.
4.Which one is the best title for the passage?
A.Working with Waste B.Developing New Ideas
C.Making Bags from Fish Waste D.Getting Rid of Plastic Pollution
Rome is recognized across the globe for its classical artwork, but recently the city's street art has been drawing attention. While many urban artists stick to painting murals（壁画），one Italian sculptor is resisting the trend with his wonderful works made from an unusual material. Andrea Gandini, a native of Rome in his early twenties, has been recognized for his wood carvings of old tree trunks scattered across the city's landscape.
Gandini's Trocomorto, or "dead trunk" project, began in 2018, when the artist ran out of sculpting clay. That's when he noticed the remains of an old tree stump in his neighborhood. He realized that Rome was full of potential canvases（画布）just waiting to be given a new life. "Bringing trees back to life" is exactly how Gandini and others describe his art.
Due to years of poor care by the city, many trees became diseased and had to be cut down. This resulted in lots of old stumps that degraded the streets of Rome, which were costly to remove. However, they have been a perfect canvas of Gandini, who has completed over 50 carvings across the city.
Gandini gives each old tree trunk a face and personality of its own. By recognizing each formerly living tree as individual, he hopes to give them some dignity in death and respect each of them with their own headstone of sorts. For those that can't make the trip to Rome, Gandini documents his works of art on Facebook.
Gandini's “dead trunk" project reminds us of what Auguste Rodin says, "There is no lack of beauty in the world, but a lack of eyes to find it." All is beautiful in the eyes of the artist, for his keen eye sees through the heart of all living things. To discover its character is to pierce its outer form and touch its inner truth. This "truth" is also "beauty".
1.What has drawn people's attention recently in Rome according to the passage?
A.Its classical artwork. B.Its traditional murals.
C.Its street wood carvings. D.Its unusual material.
2.Which statement is NOT correct about Gandini's works?
A.They are full of life. B.They follow the trend of murals.
C.They beautify the city. D.They are appreciated by some artists.
3.What does Gandini try to put in his works?
A.Dignity and respect. B.Beauty and kindness.
C.Hope and personality. D.Death and art.
4.What can we learn from this passage?
A.Beauty is always around for keen eyes.
B.Inner truth is difficult to find.
C.We live in a world lacking beauty.
D.Grandini is a person who loves nature and truth.
The best London hotels near Oxford Street
An expert guide to the top London hotels near Oxford Street—eight minutes' walk or less— including the best hotels for their family-friendly services and budget accommodation.
The London EDITION
Soho, London, England
This place is just off Oxford Street in leafy Fitzrovia. It will suit those who want more than a bed for the night. The multi-functional lobby makes a great entrance, though it's the restored ceiling, old not new, that really grabs the attention. The picture- lined restaurant is an equally successful space. The rooms are a bit like being inside a luxurious cigar box, with their wood-panelled walls and artful fur sofa covers that add a feeling of warmth.
The Langham, London
Marylebone, London, England
An advert from the late 19th century declares that the Langham is situated in the "most healthy, convenient and fashionable position in London. " Today this still holds true； the hotel is right in the centre of London. This is one of London's oldest grand hotels. Everything feels as if it has been running the way it should for a long time. Expect enormous vases of fresh flowers in public areas, oriental furnishings and marble baths in the rooms. This is also home to Michel Roux Jr's Roux, which does tasty French cuisine.
The Grazing Goat
Marylebone, London, England
The hotel is located on New Quebec Street, a quiet road lined with clothing shops and beauty salons about three minutes' walk from Oxford Street. There's something of a village feel to this area of London that is difficult to correspond with the tourist groups moments away—but it's most welcome. Rooms have Egyptian cotton beds, Aesop toilets and walls in the color of moss green and steel blue. The food menu offers seasonal British foods with the latest trendy ingredients.
1.In The London EDITION, customers are most likely to be attracted by its .
A.multi-functional lobby B.restored ceiling
C.luxurious cigar box D.wood-panelled walls
2.What do The Langham, London and The Grazing Goat have in common?
A.They are old grand hotels. B.They serve delicious French cuisine.
C.They offer fresh flowers in their bedrooms. D.They are located in Marylebone, London.
3.Which hotel gives customers the feeling of being in the rural area?
A.The London EDITION. B.The Langham, London.
C.The Grazing Goat. D.All the above.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
The darkness was gathering as she wobbled(颤颤巍巍)in high heels (高跟鞋) along the side of the highway. The car had come to an unexpected stop, and like a normal teenager she did the only thing she could think of..get out and walk.
It was cold and late, and home was far away. This could be a long night. If only someone would stop and offer her a ride. She prayed for help and dragged herself forward.
The lights of a truck shone from behind as it approached. "Maybe he will stop," she hoped. The brake lights flashed on as it stopped. Next moment, the car door opened. A wordless invitation was extended and she understood. Without hesitation, the girl climbed up into the seat and closed the door. Slowly the truck pulled back onto the road and disappeared into the night, never to be seen again.
I woke up in a cold sweat, frightened. Was it a dream or was it a vision? It was unbelievably real, and the girl was my daughter! I jumped from my bed and ran to her room. Her bed was empty.
I stood in horror trying to think why she hadn't come home. As the mental fog began to lift, I remembered she was visiting her friend that evening. Perhaps she stayed there for the night. It was 1:30 a.m., but I raced to the phone and dialed a number.
"Hello?" The voice was heavy with sleep.
"Hey. Sorry to wake you. Becki didn't come home tonight and I was wondering if she stayed at your place."
"No, she left here a few hours ago. She should have been home at least by midnight!" The voice on the other end began to reflect my own panic.
Over the next forty-five minutes I alternated between lying in pray and pacing the floor in anxiety.
At 2:15 a.m. lights appeared as a car turned up our long driveway. I could tell immediately that it was not my daughter's car.
注意：
1. 所续写短文词数应为 150 左右；
2. 应使用 5 个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词；
3. 续写部分分为两段， 每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
My face pressed against the window and found it was hard to breathe.
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Paragraph 2:
"Mom, she gave me a ride home." Becki said.
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假如你是李华，你的好友王丽在最近一次考试中成绩下降，不敢面对父母和老师。请你用英语给她写封信，给出你的建议。
要点如下:1. 对她的现状表示担忧；2. 心态很重要，自心是关键；3. 烦恼时找父母或老师寻求帮助；4. 改变学习方法。
注意:1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯
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